Accurately estimating how many heterogeneous objects a container can hold and determining an efficient manner in which to pack the objects into the container can be a challenge. A wide variety of situations call for such estimation, such as packing objects onto pallets, filling shelves with objects for storage or for sale, packing a shipping container with objects to be shipped, packing a grocery bag or packing a suitcase. For example, a traveler packing for an impending vacation may spend time packing and repacking, considering whether to pack this item or that item in an effort to pack a suitcase with as many objects as possible. Such a repetitive, trial and error-based process is inefficient and inaccurate, and can possibly leave available space unused. Furthermore, as the container is packed, the remaining available space in the container changes such that it is difficult for a person to determine what will fit in the remaining space.
Additionally, people are poor data collectors of information that may have an effect on what needs to be packed and how the objects are best packed. For example, a traveler may be unaware of the weather at the destination or changes in forecast at the destination and may pack objects that are inconsistent with the expected weather. In another example, a person may be unaware that certain items should be packed a certain way such as fragile items being packed with soft items or with additional packing material, or that the entire packed container may be subject to weight constraints, such as weight limits for airborne travel.
Also, it may be difficult to remember what has been packed such that changes to the objects being packed are tracked and accounted for. In general, people may be limited to remembering a relatively small number of objects. For example, a traveler may pack a suitcase over a number of days and forget whether this item or that item has been packed or not or what additional objects remain to be packed. In another example, if the traveler purchased an item for the trip, the traveler may be unsure whether the purchased item will fit with all the other objects in the suitcase or whether the purchased item will push the container over a weight limit. In another example, a traveler may have difficulty determine what size or weight item to purchase such that the item can be packed with other objects in the suitcase.
While embodiments are described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments are not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and “includes” mean including, but not limited to.